Method and apparatus for providing flitches to an edger

Abstract

An edger feed apparatus and method of feeding flitches into an edger are disclosed. The flitches are positioned with minimal spacing between successive flitches and with flitches positioned and the edger adjusted so as to yield a maximum value of lumber from each flitch. The edger feed apparatus may include a fetcher assembly to hold a second flitch in an edger ready position while a portion of the first flitch is directed below on an edger infeed mechanism being transported to the edger. The fetcher assembly releases the second flitch on to the edger infeed mechanism when the first flitch has moved clear from beneath the edger ready position. The edger feed apparatus additionally includes a scanner system for creating and storing a digital three-dimensional model of each flitch for determining a sawing solution to be implemented by the edger.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An edger feeder apparatus for feeding flitches into an edger, comprising:
 a flitch carriage assembly arranged to move a plurality of elongate flitches serially and in a transverse, lateral, direction relative to a length of each of the flitches, toward a transfer ready position at a delivery end of the flitch carriage assembly; 
 an edger infeed mechanism arranged to engage and carry the flitches into the edger, in a longitudinal direction with respect to the flitches, wherein the flitches are within a first horizontal plane when engaged and carried by the edger infeed mechanism; and 
 a fetcher assembly arranged to transfer each of the plurality of flitches in turn from the transfer ready position on the flitch carriage assembly to the edger infeed mechanism, the fetcher assembly including a first set of fetchers located over the delivery end of the flitch carriage assembly, 
 wherein the first set of fetchers positions a second flitch having a thickness in an edger ready position that is within a second horizontal plane that is above the first horizontal plane by more than the thickness of the second flitch while a portion of a first flitch is on a part of the edger infeed mechanism that is directly below the second flitch in the edger ready position, and releases the second flitch from the edger ready position such that the second flitch lands on the edger infeed mechanism when the first flitch has moved clear from beneath the edger ready position. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second set of fetchers located adjacent the first set of fetchers, wherein the second set of fetchers are arranged to carry the first flitch in a lateral direction from the transfer ready position to the edger ready position and release the first flitch in the edger ready position such that the first flitch lands on the edger feed mechanism. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a scanner system located adjacent the flitch carriage assembly and arranged to measure each of the plurality of flitches at a plurality of locations on each of the flitches, wherein the scanner system is located in position to measure each one of the plurality of flitches prior to the respective arrival of each one of the plurality of flitches at the delivery end of the flitch carriage assembly; and 
 a control computer arranged to receive data for each flitch of the plurality of flitches from the scanner system and to determine a sawing solution to be implemented at the edger for each flitch. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a scanner system located adjacent the edger infeed mechanism and arranged to measure each flitch of the plurality of flitches as the flitch is being moved toward the edger on the edger infeed mechanism; and 
 a control computer arranged to receive data for each flitch of the plurality of flitches from the scanner system and to determine a sawing solution to be implemented at the edger for each flitch. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first scanner system located adjacent the flitch carriage assembly and arranged to measure each of the plurality of flitches at a plurality of locations on each of the flitches, wherein the first scanner system is located in position to measure each one of the plurality of flitches prior to the respective arrival of each one of the plurality of flitches at the delivery end of the flitch carriage assembly; 
 a second scanner system located adjacent the edger infeed mechanism and arranged to determine a position of each flitch of the plurality of flitches of the edger infeed mechanism; and 
 a control computer arranged to receive data for each flitch of the plurality of flitches from the first scanner system and to determine a sawing solution to be implemented at the edger for each flitch and to receive data for each flitch of the plurality of flitches from the second scanner system and adjust cutting tools of the edger to implement the sawing solution based on the received data from the second scanner system. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second fetchers includes a plurality of parallel and elongate rods that are transverse to the direction of travel of the flitches on the edger infeed mechanism, wherein each pair of dogs of the two or more pairs of dogs of the first and sets of fetchers is slidably connected to a different rod of the plurality of rods. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each dog of each pair of dogs of the two or more pairs of dogs includes a generally planar member having an edge with teeth for gripping a flitch of the plurality of flitches. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each rod of the plurality of rods rotates a pair of dogs between a ready position in which the dogs are perpendicular to a flitch in the transfer ready position, and a stow position in which the dogs are parallel to a flitch in the transfer ready position. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein, when a pair of dogs of the two or more pairs of dogs is in the ready position, the pair of dogs further moves between a grip position in which the pair of dogs contact a flitch in the transfer ready position and a release position in which the pair dogs is spaced from a flitch in the transfer ready position. 
     
     
       10. A method of feeding flitches into an edger, comprising:
 carrying a first flitch on an edger infeed mechanism in a direction that is parallel with the length of the flitch and that is toward the edger; 
 moving a second flitch laterally from a flitch carriage assembly to an edger ready position that is a predetermined distance above the edger infeed mechanism such that the second flitch is in the edger ready position while a portion of the first flitch is directly below the second flitch; 
 retaining the second flitch in the edger ready position for a predetermined time after the first flitch is no longer directly below the second flitch; 
 releasing the second flitch onto the edger infeed mechanism at the end of the predetermined time; and 
 carrying the second flitch on the edger infeed mechanism in the direction that is parallel with the length of the flitch and that is toward the edger. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 scanning the second flitch while the second flitch is on the flitch carriage assembly; and 
 producing a three-dimensional digital model of the second flitch in a computer on the basis of the data obtained by scanning the second flitch. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 scanning the first and second flitches while the first and second flitches are on the edger infeed mechanism; and 
 producing a three-dimensional digital model of the first and second flitches in a computer on the basis of the data obtained by scanning the first and second flitches. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 scanning the second flitch while the second flitch is on the flitch carriage assembly; 
 producing a three-dimensional digital model of the second flitch in a computer on the basis of the data obtained by scanning the second flitch on the flitch carriage assembly; 
 scanning the second flitch while the second flitch is on the edger infeed mechanism; and 
 confirming the position of the second flitch on the edger infeed mechanism on the basis of the data obtained by scanning the second flitch on the edger infeed mechanism. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined time includes sufficient time for a saw blade of the edger to be repositioned as required to saw the second flitch, after the first flitch has been sawn and has cleared the saw blade of the edger, and before the second flitch engages the saw blade of the edger. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining, from a three-dimensional digital model of the first and second flitches, a set of dimensions of a preferred set of boards that can be produced by utilizing the edger to cut the first and second flitches; and 
 positioning a plurality of saw blades of the edger to respective positions in the edger so as to cut the first and second flitches to produce the preferred set of boards, before the edger infeed mechanism carries the first and second flitches into engagement by the saw blades of the edger. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein moving the second flitch laterally from the flitch carriage assembly to the edger ready position includes gripping the second flitch on opposed transverse sides of the second flitch. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein releasing the second flitch onto the edger infeed mechanism includes releasing the grip on the opposed transverse sides of the second flitch to allow the second flitch to fall onto the edger infeed mechanism. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , wherein moving the second flitch laterally from the flitch carriage assembly to the edger ready position includes moving, via a first set of fetchers and only when the first and second flitches are above a predetermined length, the second flitch laterally from the flitch carriage assembly such that the second flitch is in the edger ready position while a portion of the first flitch is directly below the second flitch. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein moving the second flitch laterally from the flitch carriage assembly to the edger ready position includes moving, via a second set of fetchers that is located adjacent to the first set of fetchers and only when at least one of the first or second flitches are at or below the predetermined length, the second flitch laterally from the flitch carriage assembly such that the second flitch is in the edger ready position while a portion of the first flitch is directly below the second flitch. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of fetchers includes two or more pairs of dogs, each pair of dogs of the two or more pairs of dogs gripping opposed longitudinal ends of the second flitch to allow the fetcher assembly to transfer the second flitch from the transfer ready position to the edger ready position. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second set of fetchers includes two or more pairs of dogs, each pair of dogs of the two or more pairs of dogs of the second set of fetchers gripping opposed longitudinal ends of the first flitch allowing the fetcher assembly to carry the first flitch from the transfer ready position to the edger ready position. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 10 , wherein moving the second flitch includes gripping opposed longitudinal ends of the second flitch.